Parents need to be very attentive especially to their toddlers. Toddlers tend to be more active and energetic compared to other kids at an older age and they are most prone to dangerous and cautious acts whenever they are eating or playing. It's important to look after your toddlers keenly, because circumstances may arise at anytime that could put your kid in danger.
Last April 2019 in Jiangxi, China, a 3-year old girl was hospitalized due to a mere playful act of the child running around the house holding a chopstick while her family was having dinner. The chopstick was said to have pierced through the side of the little girl's mouth and went through her skull. The chopstick went in so deep that you could feel the tip of the chopstick at the back of her neck.
The little girl's parents immediately rushed her to the nearest hospital, she was immediately transferred to Central South University's Xiangya Hospital.
The chopstick was shown in a CT scan conducted by the little girl's doctors and it revealed how deep the piercing was. The good thing was the chopstick did not pierce any vital parts, such as the brain stem, carotid artery, and the neck vertebrae. However, the bad news was around 10 centimeters of the chopstick was dug deep into the child's head. The doctors had to perform surgery despite the risk it contains regardless of the anesthesia used.
Fortunately, the chopstick was successfully removed by the doctors and the child became stable.
A lot of similar cases like this happen. Another case like this happened two years ago in the same country when a chopstick was removed from a little boy's skull that again, entered through his mouth. Just like the little girl from 2019, the little boy was running around the house with a chopstick in hand.
Parents should always look after their children and avoid letting them play and run around with something sharp in their hands. The cases indicated are just a reminder for parents that it is important to be careful and cautious towards their children. Prohibit them from using sharp objects and do your best to keep them away. Also, let them practice eating their meals, they should always sit down in the dining table and eat first before playing.
To further understand some of the precautionary measures and safety tips you can take to keep your children from accidents, here are some things that you can do:
Keep sharp items such as knives, scissors, and other utensils in a safe drawer that cannot be reached or put a safety lock or latch on it.
Glasses, bowls, plates, and other fragile objects should also be stored away from children's reach to avoid breaking.
When you work around the kitchen, make sure your children are out of the way or far from the kitchen area to avoid accidents. Always tell them to not come near you if you're handling sharp and fragile objects. You can tell them to wait in the living room or their rooms until the meal is fully prepared.
If you happen to have razors in your bathroom, store it in your bathroom cabinet that is far from the children's reach.
Lock the dishwasher always. If you are planning to buy other appliances, make sure it has a built-in child lock.
Most important is caution and vigilance. Teach your children, protect your children, because it only takes a split second and your child's life could be in danger.
